Technical Field
The technical field relates generally to low voltage fixtures, and more specifically, to low voltage fixtures, such as LED lighting assemblies, for use with suspended ceiling systems.
Background Discussion
Grid ceiling systems, often termed “suspended ceiling systems,” “dropped ceilings,” or simply “grid ceilings,” are commonly used in commercial buildings, schools, residential homes, and other interior structures. These ceiling systems are created by suspending a T-bar grid from the building's structural ceiling and filling the T-bar grid with ceiling tiles. The T-bar grid is made up of interconnected T-bars, otherwise referred to as “T-bar sections” that form grid openings for the ceiling tiles, which, when dropped into the grid openings, are supported on the T-bars' bottom horizontal T-walls. Common dimensions for the grid openings include 2×2 foot and 2×4 foot dimensions for supporting similarly sized ceiling tiles. However, other grid opening dimensions are possible for accommodating different ceiling tile sizes, for example 5×5 foot and 2×4 foot tiles. Ceiling tiles used in grid ceilings are typically acoustic tiles for enhancing the acoustical environment of the interior space below the grid ceiling.
Lighting assemblies can be provided in the grid ceiling system for general illumination. One type of lighting assembly that is adapted for a grid ceiling structure is called a troffer. Troffers usually include fluorescent light sources, however, other light sources, such as incandescent and high intensity discharge (HID) lamps may also be used. Troffers are sized in correspondence with the grid openings of the T-bar grid and are mounted in selected grid openings instead of a ceiling tile. Because of their weight, troffers are typically suspended from the building's structural ceiling independently of the T-bar grid.
Lighting fixtures based on the light emitting diode (LED) serve as an alternative to fluorescent or incandescent light sources because of their potential for improved energy efficiency, their low voltage DC operation, their freedom from hazardous materials such as mercury, their lack of infrared and UV radiation, their ease of dimming, their ease of color adjustment, and their long service life. For example, at equal power, LEDs give far more light output than do incandescent bulbs; and their operational life is orders of magnitude larger, namely 10-100 thousand hours vs. 1-2 thousand hours. However, adaption or installation of LEDs into current troffer arrangements typically requires the services of a professional electrician, which can increase the expense and complexity of a lighting project.